The actual nest shape within a set of frames that are
themselves within a box (or set of boxes), varies from an American
(or Rugby) football lying on it's side in hot regions (so that there
is a larger surface area on the top for heat dissipation).
In lowland, temperate regions the nest is roughly spherical.
In more Northern and higher altitudes the nest is Rugby
ball or egg shaped, but standing on it's end (thus giving minimum heat loss
from the smaller top surface.
The shape of nests in UK varies from the South coast to the
North of Scotland.
The relatively broad Langstroth frame should be more suited
to hot areas and in cold northern areas it would seem that a Jumbo
Langstroth or a British 14" x 12" future link or
Unified frame would be more
suitable so that the nest would be kept to one single set of frames.
Having said all that, the AMM type of bees, that I prefer,
manage on one set (11) of BS standard
frames with an actual brood area 338 mm wide x 190 mm tall.
Revised... 14 November 2001
